Garrod Building, QMUL
The Grade II listed Garrod Building in Whitechapel was formerly the library of the Royal London Hospital – a Victorian building with significant history.
We stripped out and replaced all kitchens and bathrooms across all six floors, upgraded fire protection, replaced ironmongery, installed new AOVs (automatic opening vents) and carried out external repairs. Scaffolding was erected to the façades for roof access. We worked closely with QMUL’s facilities management team throughout to make the most of the summer period in which we would work.
There was little time after the procurement process, meaning we had a very short lead-in period. Our knowledge of the products involved and an established supply chain meant we got started quickly without losing any ground. When the programme ran tight, we worked extended hours and brought in extra resource from our supply chain and our own operatives. The deadline was non-negotiable – students had booked rooms – and we met it.
Lindop House sits on a red route into London, making deliveries genuinely complicated. Every drop had to be planned in advance – including full details of timing, vehicle size and access route. Scaffolding on the façade added another layer of coordination.
The sheer volume of work across six floors in 13 weeks, with a fixed end date, required the whole team to stay sharp throughout. We put in every effort and brought the project to a successful conclusion before the deadline.
We also arranged for old mattresses to be donated to a local homelessness charity rather than go to landfill, covering the collection costs of over £1,700 ourselves. As the charity wrote to us: “TCL Reuse would like to say a huge thank you to Beardwell Construction for their very generous donation of beds and mattresses… The contribution has made a massive difference to all those who benefit from our charity.”
